The Defender Emirates Team New Zealand has released the first images of its planned Wynyard Basin venue for hosting the 36th America’s Cup.
The world’s oldest sporting showdown will return to Auckland in 2021 for the first time in 18 years and the footage below gives an idea of the layout of the site:
Superyacht visitors have been kept in mind, with two dedicated marinas due to be situated close to the America’s Cup village. The video also hints at involvement from Chinese and Australian teams, with their respective flags emblazoned on the roofs of the proposed team bases.
Bars, restaurants, cafes and big screen viewing areas have also been incorporated into the venue, giving the public plenty of reasons to stay long after the day’s racing has finished.
What’s more, the team bases will feature public areas where visitors will be able to watch daily operations, including the launching and retrieving of the foiling monohull raceboats.
The cost of hosting the 36th America’s Cup is sure to run into the hundreds of millions, but Emirates Team New Zealand has refuted claims that the cost to compete is skyrocketing.
In a recent interview with the New Zealand Herald, America’s Cup veteran Dennis Conner estimated that teams would need a budget of $100-150 million to be truly competitive. However, Dan Bernasconi, design chief at Emirates Team New Zealand hit back saying, “We're not going to be spending that much and I don't think anybody will be.”